Born one of 10 children in Cleveland, Ohio,
Scott's mother was killed in a car accident when he was 13, and he was put
into foster care. He also suffered from a rare hereditary condition called
Kallmann's Syndrome that affected not only his growth, but also his voice.
He was nicknamed Little Jimmy Scott, but went on to become one of the jazz
world's most memorable singers. Scott began singing professionally in tent
shows during the 1940s and joined Lionel Hampton's band in 1948. After
making several records, he signed to Ray Charles' Tangerine label in 1962,
but the album, "Falling in Love Is Wonderful," had to be taken off the
market because of a dispute about his contract. The incident led Scott to
leave the music business. He began performing in clubs again in 1985
and he returned to the recording studio five years later. Then, the
65-year-old sang at the funeral of a long-time supporter, songwriter Doc
Pomus, and soon was signed to a recording deal. On a major comeback, he
landed roles in television and film and guest starred on a Lou Reed album,
among others. Jimmy's CD, "All the Way" (the first on which he was
billed simply as Jimmy Scott), was released in 1992. Since then, he has
recorded other critically-acclaimed albums, feeling free to reach across
styles from jazz to gospel to R & B.